William laughton



(No Model.)

W. LAUGHTON.

GALVANIG BELT'.

No. 414,668. Patented Nov. 5, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE,

W'ILLIAM LAUGHTON, OF NO. RYLSTON ROAD, FULHAM, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ASSIGNOR TO FRANCIS MORETON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

GALVANIC BELT.

SIEIEIGIFICA'LIO'NV forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,668, dated November 5, 1889. Application filed October 26, 1888. Serial No. 289,251. (No model.) Patented in England June 12,1888, No. 8,611.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LAUGH'roN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at No. atl Bylston Road, Fulham, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Form ot' Galvanic Belt for Medical Purposes, (for which Letters Patent have been granted to me in Great Britain, dated June l2, 1888, ro No. 8,61l,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures I and 2 are views of a band orbelt formed according to my invention; and Figs. r 5 3, 4, and 5 are details of the plates forming said galvanic belt.

In carrying out myinvention I take a plate A, of copper, to which, at apoint about midway across, I solder a plate of zinc or other 2o suitable metal or substance B, which shall be electro-positive to the copper. I prefer to make the zinc plates B shorter than the copper plate A, in order that when the two dissimilar plates are joined together the extreme ends of the copper plate shall extend a short`distance beyond the ends of the zinc plate.

Through each of the extended ends of the copper plate A one or more holes or perforations a is or are formed therein to allow of 3o each pair of elements being attached to a band or belt C in the nal process of connecting up the series. In addition to the holes or perforations a in the copper plate A, (shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4, and, 5,) and through that portion thereof not covered by the zinc plate B, I form two or more rows of holes or perforations b, each rovi7 consisting preferably of two holes or perforations. I may, however, under some circumstances employ more than two holes in each row.

Through the holes or perforations b aforesaid is or are threaded a stout thread or threads c, of any suitable material, in such a manner that when a series of the joined plates A B are attached to the band or belt C the zinc plate B will rest upon the thread or threads c interwoven or interlaced in the copper plate A of the adjacent pair, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and so on in like manner throughout the series, which may consist of any number of pairs of elements according to the size of the band or belt to be employed. The aforesaid threads c c are s of flax, cotton, or other fibrous material, and do not form when new and dry an electrical connection between the plates they separate. Soon after the application of the belt to the person the humid and saline exhalations from the flesh meisten these threads c c and establish an electrical connection between all the 6o pairs of elements in the series.

The battery having been formed as above Y described and attached to the band or belt C, which may be of any suitable material, a raised surface or cushion, consisting` of a strip of felt or equivalent nonconducting material E, is secured to the band or belt C, and is of suiiicient width to overlap and cover the extreme upper and lower ends of the copper plates A, in order that the exposed ele- 7o ments may not come into contact with the surface of the body while the belt is being Worn and atthe same time the zinc element B shall be fully exposed to the action of moisture of the body, which serves as the eX- citant. The raised strip of felt or equivalentnon-conductor E must be of sufficient height so that neither the zinc nor the copper plates shall touch the body. The galvanic excitation is solely from the saline, warm, and hu- 8o mid exhalation from the flesh of the wearer, and not from any direct Contact with the skin. The button ends F F of the Wires D D are the only met-al in contact with the body.

The current generated by the battery above A8 5 described may be conveyed by iiexible insulated wires D to any desired part of the body and connected to metal disks F, buttons, or equivalents, the other extremities of 'said wires I) being inetallically connected, one 9o with the zinc element p of the series and the other wire to the copper element. n, as shown at Figs. l and 2.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by 'Letters Pat- 9 5 ent, is-n 1. A galvanic belt for medical purposes, composed-of a non-conducting iexible band or base having secured thereto a series of dis- V similar metal plates in pairs separated from loo each other by absorbent. threads acting as conductors of galvanism when damp with extion, with a series of elements of dissimilar metals forming a battery, of a raised surface or cushion of non-conclu @ting material secured to the belt or band and overlapping the oopper elements, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signatu re, in the presence of two Witnesses.

London, October/4, 1888*.` K

WILLIAM LAUGHTON. y WVitnesses:

J AMES STEVENsoN, Greig/S Inn Ohmubers, 2O High H olborn, London, C., (liv/Z Engineer Cmd Patent,

Agent. EDGAR GEORGE,- rEMetric/afm 2O High Holborn, W C'. 

